Finding Balance

BALANCE : 

Balancing Your Life Properly

When you get to college you no longer have your parents telling you what time is best to do certain things in your life. 

1. Set Realistic Goals.
 If you set goals that are too high, you'll end up wearing yourself out, feeling frustrated and disappointed in yourself for not achieving your goals. If you set your goals too low, you'll have too much time on your hands and feel empty when you achieve your goals.
2. Learn to Study Effectively.
 Spending too much time studying can actually lead to burn-out and produce a negative impact on your academic performance.
3. Eat Well. 
Avoid the empty calories of junk food and strive for eating good food -- whether you prepare it yourself or eat at your school's commons.
4. Exercise Regularly.
the endorphins you get from exercising are great for improving your spirits.
5. Take Charge. Set Priorities. 
 You need to buck the trend and take responsibility. Develop a to-do list -- even if that's something you normally don't do. Set priorities. And then enjoy the satisfaction of crossing things off your list.
6. Simplify. 
 Change your lifestyle. Learn to say no to requests for your help -- it's sometimes a hard thing to do, but sometimes you need to do it to protect yourself.
7. Let Things Go. (Don't Sweat the Small Stuff.)
 Learn to recognize the things that don't really have much impact in your life and allow yourself to let them go -- and then not beat yourself up for doing so. It truly is the big things that matter in life.

8. Know When It's Time to Quit.

 You should first look to your extra-curricular activities. Consider quitting an organization that is not important in the grand scheme of things. If you have cut back on all your social activities but are still struggling with your class, talk with your academic adviser about possibly dropping one of your classes so you can salvage the others.

Sorority Tips

My first weekend at Potsdam I started going out with a sorority, and my sister being in one I said I wanted to do it but I just couldn't see myself being in one and actually pledging. So January comes around and i decided to join. Advice about hanging out with frats and sororities, make sure that if you feel uncomfortable it's probably not a good idea to stay with them.If you pay attention close enough they will drop hints about the house and things that go on. You always have to be smart and responsible. Joining one is a big commitment, but a lot of people say its the best decision that they have ever made. And as of right now, I agree. I think joining a house makes you more responsible and every time you see someone wearing letters you know just how hard they worked to have the honor to wear them across their chest.

Finals Week

Study, Study, Study! Lots of sleep, lots of food. Stay away from distractions, go to the library. Read through your notes throughout the semester. Do not procrastinate or wait till last minute to get your work done.

Date Rape

Never leave your drink un-attended. **Never walk alone**. Always use the buddy system. Never give your number to a stranger. Never get too drunk. Always watch your back. Let people know where you are at at all times.

Professors in college :)

When you have professors in college, try your best to make sure that they know you're determined to pass their class. Go to their office hours and show that you care about their class. Always make sure you make it class most times and don't hide in the back. 

Your Advisor is not your enemy, Make them your best friend

Your advisor is the most important person you will meet when in college. They help you decide what courses you must take in order to complete your degree.  If you have a question that goes beyond the catalog, or just need a little guidance, go to your advisor—they can help you with any scheduling or course selection questions you may have.

Money for a Printer

Considering on spending money to buy a printer but short on cash? Don't worry you don't need a printer in school. I personally don't have one. I always go to the library and print my work from there and it is fast and easy!

Home Comfort

Keep in touch with your parents. This could be a huge advantage if you're ever feeling homesick. With the technology we have these days you can always feel close to home!

About Buying Textbooks

Text books are expensive. I understand you may be afraid of falling behind or excited about shopping for books but there is a possibility you may not use the textbook(s) at all. You should wait to get your syllabus and see exactly what you need first.

Staying Healthy In School

Staying healthy in school is very important. Especially freshman year because due to so much more food, alcohol and stress you are more likely to gain weight. I gained 15-20 pounds my freshman year. Luckily I am a gym freak and do a lot of physical activity to stay healthy and active. So don't slack drink no alcohol or soda or fatty foods!

The Dirty Truth about Dating In College

Remember your first day of high school?

The new guys seemed so cute, and your love life seemed so full of possibilities. But soon you knew all their names, who was cool, and who was weird. And now you've dated everyone you wanted to, or you don't click with the guys at your school, or you're tired of the high school drama — and you can't wait for college. You've heard the basics about college dating: more types of guys, more freedom, and more mature relationships (hopefully). But with close living quarters, no parents, and stressful classes, things get intense, and college has its own soap operas. 

1. Know thyself. College dating is not a quest to stumble into blindly. Know what you want from dating. Whether your goal is meeting friends or you are pursuing a soul mate, knowing your desires is essential. Just don't get too set into a she-must-have-this list, because you may miss out on someone both wonderful and unexpected.
2. Keep it light. Many college freshman stumble into the instant boyfriend track without much thought. College comes with a huge increase in diversity. You will be introduced to new cultures and ideas. Falling into a relationship right away might mean that you miss out on figuring out what type of person is perfect for you in the long run. Don't be afraid of casual dating. Dating more than one person at a time is often the best route, as long as everyone involved knows exactly what is going on.
3. Don't be that guy. We all know that guy. The tool with hair so gelled a hurricane couldn't hurt it, a cocky I'm-so-hot attitude, and a fierce dedication to “Gettin' some, brah!” If this is the only rule you follow, don't be that guy. Acting pushy and immature does not read confident, it reads desperate. Ironically, begging for attention with excessive high-fives and “that's what she said”s can make others ignore you as soon as you enter a room.
4. Have guts. You will never know what you can achieve until you put yourself out there. Having guts is crucial to dating in college. Never assume that you're not good enough for that pretty girl down the hall. If you aren't naturally self-confident, pretend. You may find that being brave is enough to impress even the most elusive vixen.
5. Clean up. Scruffy is cute. Smelly, greasy and careless is disgusting. Don't walk that line. Good hygiene is important to college girls. A number of college guys will try to appear gross just because they want a girl to like their “real” selves. However, adopting this blase attitude is a huge mistake. There is nothing wrong with putting your best self forward. Get noticed for the right reasons—take a shower.
6. Don't get too drunk. Let's face it: students drink in college. Parties are a great way to meet people, and alcohol often acts as a social lubricant. Yet, the guy who stumbles into a party and passes out of it usually goes home alone. Being obnoxiously drunk can lead to bad decisions.
7. Be classy. Class is underrated on the college scene. There is something to be said for retaining a level of dignity in a sea of people abandoning self-respect. Class is hard to define, but involves an emphasis on loyalty to friends and oneself, pursuing women of substance and being true to a moral code, however loose it may be. Dignity helps to keep a reputation clean on a small campus.
8. Make friends. Collegiate life is all about meeting new people, whether male or female, friend or love interest.
9. Avoid the bandwagon. Believe it or not, peer pressure is an issue in college dating. Just because all of your friends think a girl is hot doesn't necessarily mean that she's your type. There's this secret phenomenon on college campuses where a bunch of guys pursue the same girl only to wind up empty-handed or discover that she's not what they expected. Meanwhile, pretty, smart girls go unnoticed because everyone is interested in one girl. Be an individual, like what you like.
10. Bros before hoes—kinda. The classic "bros before hoes" rule does apply, but to an extent. Never betray your friendships by being the guy that your friend's girlfriend cheats with, and don't make a move on the girl that he's been pursuing for six months. Loyalty to your friends means making sacrifices. However, don't take the rule too far. If a buddy if trying to block your game out of jealousy, it is okay to go ahead. You have to look out for your own interests.

College Guy Tips: )

No matter what happens, always be a gentleman because you never know who is watching. Your biggest concern is your rep. Your rep is what other people say about you when your name comes up. 

                Think About the Future Now!- "Don't wait until you're a senior looking for a job!"

Don't Be Invisible

Avoid being a "baseball cap guy." Baseball cap guys sit in the back row, slumped down as far as possible, with their baseball caps pulled over their faces. They don't participate in class unless forced and attempt to call as little attention to themselves as possible. Secretly, one of the baseball cap guys might be the smartest kid in the class, but nobody knows this because he's practicing the art of invisibility. This attitude isn't going to help you in your future career, so break out of this habit now and take off your baseball cap.

Binge Drinking is Not Manly

It's just not. It's stupid, and if you do it often enough, dates and friends alike will lose respect for you. Big guys sometimes overestimate how much they can drink because of their large stature, so watch out. You don't have to be a 5 foot 2 inch woman to die of alcohol poisoning.

Take Care of Yourself

Try to eat well, exercise once in awhile, and get a decent amount of sleep. Women spend way too much time obsessing about the Freshman Fifteen and such, but some guys don't seem to notice if they've gained the Freshman Fifty. You know how 13-year-old guys can wolf down piles of fast food in one sitting and still look like beanpoles? You're getting older, guys, and if that bottomless metabolism isn't a thing of the past already, it will be soon.

CLASS: If you are not a morning person, don't schedule classes for 7am. You will not go.

GERMS-Wash your hands. Often. Living in the dorms is a communal living experience. Germs love communal living.

Get Involved at College

Being involved in things at school, will help you meet people and find out what college parties people are going to. Be friendly to everyone, because you never know who you will run into. If fraternities and sororities are big at your school, join one. If thats not your thing join a club or organization. Do something to get out there and meet people. The more people you know the better your college experience will be (plus it could help you find a job after you.

                                                       AND JUST HAVE FUN! 

Fun College Tips

College is fun, So taking a break from the serious advice.

All Wisdom Ends in Paradox
Aimed towards girls. Next blog for guys: 

 

• Bring a heavy concealer w/ you. You WILL party. You WILL get a hickey. You WILL have to meet your friend's parents, your cute advisor, or future employer w/in the week. Hickeys take forever to fade!
• Unless she's your bestfriend from high school, let your roommate know on the first day that your stuff is NOT hers in any way at all ever. It may seem bitchy, but when you've bought your third shampoo bottle in one month and are begging your parents for money to get more, you'll know why I say this.
• If your roommate IS your bestfriend from high school, start getting closer to your other good friends now. In 8 months, you will be calling them your bestfriends.
• READ! Really. The exams actually come from the textbooks.
• SAVE MONEY BEFORE COLLEGE! The good parties charge girls, too. Where's the chivalry?!? You will get tired of cafeteria food and want to make something from a grocery store. You will ruin a party shirt and need a new one.
• BRING LOTS OF PARTY SHIRTS! and buy Febreeze...it's the best!
• GO TO HOUSE PARTIES, not frat parties. Frats only allow brothers and friends. This means the bedroom is right there! NO! House parties let in other guys. Cuter guys. Guys w/ smaller egos (sometimes). And...their bedroom is across campus!!!
• DON'T SCHEDULE ANY CLASS BEFORE 9AM! Biggest freshman mistake. I know you probably get up @ 6:30 or 7am now. You won't in college. No. You won't. NO! I'm telling you - YOU REALLY WON'T!
• DON'T WORRY ABOUT HAVING A MAJOR. You will change your mind. That's why you have an advisor. It's worked into the tuition.
• The people who you are best friends w/ during the first month of school will not be your best friends in the last month of school. Feel free to pretend they are to spare their feelings, but they won't be.
• GET INSTANT MESSENGER, NAPSTER, SNOOD, and WINAMP. You'll waste all your time @ your computer, but at least you'll fit in. Hey - you could even make a webpage instead of studying for an exam you have tomorrow in History of Modern Philosophy.
• DON'T TAKE HISTORY OF MODERN PHILOSOPHY!
• You will date an ugly boy. You get bored. They are nice. THEN YOU'LL FIND A CUTE BOY WHO'S NICER THAN ANY GUY YOU'VE EVER KNOWN.
• YOUR FIRST VISIT HOME WILL BE ROUGH. You will not have enough @ school to make you miss it, but your whole life will still be @ home w/out you. Cry. It helps.
• After Christmas break, you'll never want to live at home for more than a week EVER AGAIN!
• GET OVER YOUR EX-BOYFRIEND! It hurts.
• If you've discussed breaking up before you go away to different schools, do it. It is only the couples that never consider breaking up a possibility who have even the slimmest chance of staying together & your new friends don't REALLY mean it when they say, "Come talk @ anytime". They mean, "talk w/out tears between the hours of 1pm & 5pm".
• YOU WILL CHANGE. There is no way you will ever be who you once were & neither will your friends who went away to school. This is all null & void if you go to school w/in an hour of home.
• GO TO SCHOOL AT LEAST 2 HOURS FROM HOME. You'll never grow up if you don't because a part of you will always belong to your old home.
• ALWAYS HAVE ONE GOOD GUY FRIEND WHO DOESN'T WANT TO KISS YOU. Take him w/ you to parties. People drink. Stuff happens. You want him to make sure it doesn't happen to you.
• LEARN THE BASICS OF LAUNDRY. It will help a lot! Your friends will envy your clothing because it won't all be pink, blue, or -1 from shrinking.
• GET OVER YOUR FEAR OF PUBLIC RESTROOMS. When ya gotta go, ya gotta go & you won't hover 5 times a day for 8 months. People will walk in just as you're doing #2. They do it too. WASH YOUR HANDS - PEOPLE NOTICE!
• LEARN TO LOVE CRAPPY FOOD. It's no better than high school. Too little taste & too much texture. If you succeed @ this - tell me how!
• BUY 3 ALARM CLOCKS! You'll need them to get up for that 8am class you swear you'll make it to. YOU WON'T! BELIEVE ME, YOU WON'T!

Being Responsible

You may not know just how responsible you need to be when your in college. Which for me, is hard. I'm the baby of my family and my parents really do everything for me. I always have held a job since I was 15 and I pay for most of my clothes and other things I want. Going away to school makes you relies you actually have to grow up, and if your not ready for that.. you aren't ready to go away to school. It took me a little while to get adjusted to living without my parents and I would cry when I talked to them. :( meh..

Friends

As you graduate high school you  might think that all of your friends will remain close to you, and that you guys are never going to grow apart. But within the first semester I stopped talking to many of my friends who also went away to college. It's hard to maintain friendships while your having this whole new life.

Having Nightmares about Dining Hall Food?

Not in Kansas Anymore Dorothy, Are Ya? No more Home cooked meals from mama right? 

What are you going to have to eat from now on... This?

Yikeeesss.... ew.

Well I am here to tell you, It's not too bad if you know what you should be eating. The truth about food in college is you basically have access to all types of food costing about the same prices on a meal plan. So basically you could be choosing between, a greasy full of fat cheese burger with a side of fries and a soda or a healthy sandwich with fruit/vegetables and juice/water. 

The Truth about the FRESHMAN FIFTEEN. 

Yes some college students like to blame it on the amount of stress they go through with classes and day to day living but when it all comes down to eat, what you eat and exercise affects your body the most. Freshman have a hard time eating balanced diets because of the rush of classes and just not being home and having a normal routine in a day. 

What you shouldn't eat          Vs.       

 What you should Eat

                                               

    RED BULL VS. GREEN TEA!!

 Often times student feel they are exhausted and need energy and caffeine but they are drinking and eating the wrong kinds of food that actually end up in a sugar rush then a crash of energy. What you should have instead of Red bull and Junk food. Try: Green tea and Fruits and vegetables. Not only will this leave you feeling better it provides the proper energy you need. 

Try your best to be careful with what you eat and how much exercise you get while in college or else your body will begin to show the effects of freshman fifteen. 

LIKE THIS GUY BELOW!!! 

Good and Bad Roommates

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Roomates: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

Sometimes when you get to college You have the luck of having a good or a bad roommate. Even if you choose your roommate sometimes it is harder living with a close friend than it would be living with a stranger. There are pros and cons to having a roommate when in college.

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Good:

•  Many people become close friends with their roommates when they have compatible personalities.
•  Roommates can sometimes introduce you to their friends and that helps to build your own social circle.
• Roommates can help you with your classwork, especially if they have the same major as you or have taken a class that you're currently taking before. 
• Your buddy you can rely on. Having a roommate that you are friends with is a really good thing. You can go to meals with them and go out to parties with them, or the library. 
• Good Company:It's nice waking up to someone else in the room. If you get along you always have a bud.  
• If they have a car you don't have to pay for a taxi and basically mooch rides:). Easier transportation. 

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BAD:

• You have to learn to accommodate your roommate's sleeping cycle and studying habits. This can be challenging, especially when your own aren't 100% developed.

• Roommates who have a boyfriend/girlfriend often bring them over to the room without consulting you first. This leads to sex in the room, which you could very well walk in on at any time. It's quite the embarrassing situation. Or Sometimes they may nor have a boyfriend and you have to deal with the random hookup experiences. 

• Sometimes roommates don't get along and the tension eventually    boils over and leads to fights.Roommates can also be very disrespectful of your things and use them / steal them without your permission or you knowing.

• Having food in the room can be hard because they may not have packed any or they get hungry and CLEAR OUT your stash of food. 

• PARTIER? Sometimes you get paired up with a roommate that absolutely loves to part and come back at late hours. Sometimes drunk sometimes high and when you have been studying all night or just not into the whole party scene this can be a conflict.

• SLOB? This can be very difficult! Having to deal with the living arrangements of other people. When you start out you should make rules or cleaning arrangements. 

• Locking The Room: Sometimes your roommate does not lock the room  when leaving or will leave your door wide open when going to the bathroom. Allowing others to see what is in your room and that you are not in the room.

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These are just some of the Pros and many cons of having a roommate. It can be very hard having a roommate but at the same time it can have many beneficial parts to it. GOOD LUCK!! 

Til next time! 

XOXO 

JENNIE

James Campbell-moving away from family and friends

James Campbell -

Moving away from home is not easy, along with culture shock depending on how far you move away is not easy to cope with. You will not have family to help you remember important things you have to do. If you mess up you can only blame yourself. So brace yourself and do not slack!

Distance Isn't For The Weak..

During my senior year, I  met my boyfriend named Phil. We didn't go to the same high school and I kept telling myself I didn't want a boyfriend, but.. whatever I got one anyway. We started to get serious and I decided that I wasn't going to let a boy affect my life and my choices. We both decided that we would go away to school and just see what would happen. He chose to go to West Virginia University and I decided to go to the lovely dirty dam. We're still together, and its hard. Being in a long distance relationship is not easy. And I don't think that every person could be able to do it but you really have to want it. Skyping is so much fun, not.. But, seeing someone after not seeing them for months is really the best feeling. And it made us stronger, I have my own life rather than those girls who are completely obsessed with their boyfriends. This is one of my favorite quotes.
"Distance is not for the fearful it is for the bold. It is for those who are willing to spend a lot of time alone in exchange for a little time with the one they love. It's for those knowing a good thing when they see it, even if they don't see it nearly enough."

You find Out Who Your Friends Are.

You know the famous saying... "You find out who your friends are".. I don't think there is any better saying for college students than this one. Leaving highschool and all of your friends behind is one of the hardest aspects of college. Yeah there is facebook to keep in touch but you need friends around you. So at college, here's some small advice on finding out who your friends are:).
1).Introduce yourself to EVERYONE! DO NOT BE SHY:)
2) When given opportunities join clubs and go to campus events. I feel like I really messed up on this aspect, yes I made a lot of friends but I don't feel as connected as I could to my college.
3)Keep your room door open when you're in and don't mind being disturbed – you'll be welcoming conversation and your hallmates will be glad to stop by.
4) Introduce people you've met to other people and ask to meet your friends' friends. The more people you meet, the greater your chances of finding the few who will become your closest friends.


Stay tuned for next weeks Blog :)